Rent land for shooting

scwazrh · 20-08-2018 2:16am #1

Not sure If this is the best forum for this , if not mods please move .

Is it possible to rent land for the purpose of clay pigeon shooting (I’ll bring my own traps and clean up after obviously) and shooting bunnies , foxes etc on the land ? If so where do I begin ? I live in a town and unfortunately don’t know any farmers to ask for permissions.
I’m a member of a range but it Is unavailable when I’m free so I’m trying to find a place I can shoot and I have no issue with paying annual rent for somewhere suitable .im in Kildare but more than happy to travel.

TheEngineer1 · 20-08-2018 7:18am

scwazrh wrote: »

Not sure If this is the best forum for this , if not mods please move .

Is it possible to rent land for the purpose of clay pigeon shooting (I’ll bring my own traps and clean up after obviously) and shooting bunnies , foxes etc on the land ? If so where do I begin ? I live in a town and unfortunately don’t know any farmers to ask for permissions.
I’m a member of a range but it Is unavailable when I’m free so I’m trying to find a place I can shoot and I have no issue with paying annual rent for somewhere suitable .im in Kildare but more than happy to travel.

Have a look for a gun/ game club near to you maybe? They will have permission on a few different lands.

If that's not possible, then try going door to door to a few farmers asking can you shoot rabbits, pigeons etc as vermin. You'll be surprised at how many will be happy to let you work away.

As for the clay pigeon shooting, if you can get a permission that has a bit of forestry you could fire into/ over that? Or have a look for clay target clubs in your vicinity.

Half-cocked · 20-08-2018 9:24am

Quite a few clay pigeon clubs rent their land, usually a piece that has no agricultural value. As an individual, you might be able to do the same. I would suggest getting relevant insurance cover before approaching any landowners.

cookimonster · 20-08-2018 11:59am

TheEngineer1 wrote: »

.....
As for the clay pigeon shooting, if you can get a permission that has a bit of forestry you could fire into/ over that? Or have a look for clay target clubs in your vicinity.

Not really a good idea using a wood / forestry as a back stop. Theres one thing hunting a wood with rifle or gun but to deliberately use it in this way is not safe. The recommended safety distance out in frount of the stands is 300 metres. Clubs will often build berms closer in as a safety feature.

As said in an other post here, farmers will rent unusable land, such as drainage fields or bog land that may be suitable for your needs, think football field sized and be mindful of neighbouring land boundaries, just because you might be shooting up in the air doesn't mean your not flinging lead and wads onto some elses property.

Be mindful of another thread going on here reference using a gun specifically licenced only for target shooting, in this case clay pigeons and not for the purposes of hunting.
You will need written land permission and suitable insurance cover.

Cass · 20-08-2018 12:08pm

I've nothing to add in relation to land that is available, but i wanted to add this bit.

Clay pigeon shooting is NOT classed as target shooting under the law. Clay ranges DO NOT need authorisation in the way a rifle or pistol range does so for that reason a person can set up a trap on any land, they have permission on, and fire away.

As for insurance there is also no legal requirement to have it (AFAIK), but it makes sense to CYA to have some sort of cover if there is more than yourself doing it.

As for the backstop, direction of fire, clean up, etc. well all that goes without saying and the advice above about it is spot on.